Texas Rangers 2024-2025 Offseason Thread

[saddles]

Man, I hope not, lol.
We don't need another one. We had one better than him in Huff and we canned him.

He has options though, and I don't think we have any other catchers on the 40-man besides the two big league guys.

 

[donaldson79]

This is from the Athletic re: off season moves..........

Texas Rangers ​

Grade: B+

Free agents:

• RHP Nathan Eovaldi, 3 years/$75 million
• OF/DH Joc Pederson, 2 years/$37 million
• C Kyle Higashioka, 2 years/$13.5 million
• RHP Chris Martin, 1 year/$5.5 million
• LHP Hoby Milner, 1-year, $2.5 million
• RHP Jacob Webb, 1 year/$1.25 million
• RHP Shawn Armstrong, one-year deal

Trades:

• Acquired 1B/3B Jake Burger from Marlins for INF Max Acosta, INF Echedry Vargas and LHP Brayan Mendoza
• Acquired LHP Robert Garcia from Nationals for 1B Nathaniel Lowe
• Acquired LHP Mason Molina from Brewers for RHP Grant Anderson
• Acquired cash from Cubs for RHP Matt Festa

Key takeaways: The Rangers have had a strong offseason, adding significant power to their lineup with the trade for Burger and the signing of Pederson; the duo combined for 52 home runs last season with their respective teams. I loved the signing of Higashioka to improve the catcher position overall. Bringing back Eovaldi to anchor the rotation was a must and they got it done with a market contract. The pick-up of Garcia should not be overlooked as the southpaw should really help their bullpen depth. Another under-the-radar move of note: Skip Schumaker, who was hired as a senior adviser to president of baseball operations Chris Young, gives the Rangers their long-term answer at manager whenever Bruce Bochy decides to retire.

Biggest question: Will they be able to sign a closer like Tanner Scott, Carlos Estévez or Kirby Yates in free agency? That’s their biggest need.

Season prediction: First place

 

[saddles]

From Jamey Newberg:

Sarris’s figure is based on the FanGraphs RosterResource function, which now has the Rangers’ “Estimated Luxury Tax Payroll” at $234,921,667. Cot’s Baseball Contracts calculates a roughly equivalent $234,535,667. Spotrac pegs it at $228,471,666.

If the first two calculations are accurate, that would leave Texas approximately a CBT cushion of about $6 million. If the team is insistent on staying below that line, that’s not going to get Yates, or even Robertson. And that’s without considering the idea of one more right-handed-hitting outfield bat as well.

 

[saddles]

To obtain a good closer the Rangers would probably have to trade away some salary.

 

[Bmurph]

To obtain a good closer the Rangers would probably have to trade away some salary.

I don't know that anything happens until the Sasaki ball drops

 

[saddles]

I don't know that anything happens until the Sasaki ball drops

Yeah, even though his money won't count against the Luxury Tax amount, it would give them a good reason to trade a starter. Although, without Sasaki, they still need a closer.